Dusty Betty, How Long Did It Take to Get Back on the Bike After Having Her Baby

As of the time of this article, I've been riding North Texas trails for about two years and have begun to consider myself something of an intermediate-level rider. I thought it was time to share what I've learned with newbies who've just started out and help them along their MTB journey. My hope here is to strip away all the jargon and make getting started mountain biking as straightforward and easy as possible.

Don't Go Alone

Knowing how mountain biking culture operates, I think there's better than a 50% chance that you started mountain biking due to the influence of someone else. If this describes you then you've already got a riding buddy or two willing to take you out on rides fairly often. I'm not saying you should never ride alone—you definitely should—but in the early days it's always a great idea to ride with others often. So, if you don't have an MTB-addicted friend you can spin with, find one soon.

There are many benefits to riding with an experienced rider. Not only can they help you with basic skills and show you the best lines to follow on the local trails, they'll also have a better idea of what trails fit within your current skill level. You'll simply enjoy the ride much more with friends. Not only will you enjoy the camaraderie, but you'll also feel better about pushing your limits in the company of others. Almost all of the more difficult trail features I've conquered were done in the presence of friends. Not only did I feel better about taking risks—knowing I had help if necessary—but those with more skill and experience could demonstrate how to ride those features.

Beyond riding often with friends, you should also go to beginner clinics and attend group rides. Notice I said clinics plural. That's right, my suggestion is that you attend beginner clinics multiple times. Not only will you get added instruction and reinforcement, but you'll also get to see just how far you've progressed over time. You should also join your local MTB club and keep abreast of all the latest clinics, group rides, and events. The more you attend, the better a rider you'll become.

Borrow a Bike

Just about everyone who sticks it out with mountain biking quickly becomes addicted. It's not uncommon for new riders to foolishly go out and lay down several thousand dollars on a new bike within weeks (if not days) of riding dirt for the first time. In fact, some are so foolish as to outlay that huge wad of cash before their first ride. The first time I road on a bike trail was at a beginner clinic at River Legacy. There was a group of co-workers there who'd gone all out—and not in a good way. Not only did they have matching jerseys made, they also had all bought full-carbon bikes—each one probably worth upwards of $5,000 each.

Needless to say, one dude in the group rode beyond his skills at Funtown and crashed—hard. I don't know how much damage he did to his bike, but the front wheel was completely mangled. He also injured himself and ended up needing help from his buddies to walk back to the trail head. I heard something about going to the hospital as they walked way. Plus, since his bike was carbon, who knows what kind of unseen frame damage was inflicted on this brand new bike. It's likely the guy never rode trail again.

Beyond the obvious "beginners shouldn't buy a super-expensive bike," there are other considerations at play here. Until you've ridden a while, how do you know what you like in a bike? What's your riding style going to be? What gearing do you prefer? What handlebar width? What about hard tails versus full suspension frames? The list goes on.

Thankfully, I had a good friend talk me off the ledge of just going out and buying a bike and instead let me borrow his backup bike for several months. I was prepared to go out and spend about $500 on a bike and just call it a good day. In the end, his bike served me well. It was lighter, more capable, and had far better components than a $500 bike, AND it also helped me identify what I like and disliked as a rider. I discovered some physical limitations along the way—I have some fairly severe balance issues that I've had to work through—and certain bike features could help me mitigate those issues.

I ended up being patient and saving my money for the better part of a year to purchase a Trek Roscoe 8 for about $1,300. I specifically chose it for several different reasons, none of which I would have discovered if I'd just gone out and bought a bike right away. Now I've own a quality bike that is upgradable, dependable, and will last me for several years. Even better is the fact that I've got a bike that fits me perfectly, compensates for some of my balance issues, and is a pure joy to ride.

Aquire Basic Gear

Now just because I cautioned you against going out and buying a brand new bike right away, or otherwise spending a huge chunk of money, that doesn't mean you should skimp out on basic gear. At bare minimum you need a helmet and hydration. As long as you're riding with more-experienced friends that's all you absolutely need to get going.

You'll soon find, however, that there's quite a bit more gear you'll want to have to make your rides more safe and enjoyable, as well as set you up to be self-sufficient when you start venturing out alone. It only takes scraping your hand against the bark of tree once to make you want to buy a good pair of riding gloves, and getting other various scrapes and bruises will make you look into purchasing additional protective gear. Don't go crazy. Most of the time just a good pair of gloves is all the protective gear you'll need beyond a helmet. As you get more adventurous and aggressive in your riding you may need to add more gear.

You probably know you need a good floor pump at home for airing up your tires. You don't need anything fancy, but I highly suggest buying a pump that has an air pressure gauge. At first, you'll probably use the tried-and-true method of squeezing your tires to see if there's enough air in them. The more you ride, the more you'll start experimenting with varying PSI levels (if your bike is set up tubeless), so a pump with a pressure gauge becomes a necessity.

As you start venturing out alone you'll need to have a saddle bag or backpack with some basic tools and gear to keep your tires spinning in the event of a mechanical issue. If the bike you're riding isn't using a tubeless tire setup, you should get that setup done ASAP. You'll thank me later. Once you're running tubeless, you can keep some basics such CO₂ inflators and tire plugs handy to keep you going in case you get a puncture. Even so, you should still carry a spare tube in your saddle bag in case you have a puncture so bad your sealant can't plug the hole. Carrying a small hand pump—either attached to the frame or in a backpack—isn't a bad idea either.

Other basic equipment to carry in your saddle bag includes tire levers, a multitool, a chain breaker, and some extra quick links. If you've got enough space—you'll be surprised at how much you can cram into those little bags—I'd suggest some extra sealant and a basic first aid kit.

Lastly, as your rides get longer and you log more saddle time, don't be surprised to find yourself shopping for a new chamois and some anti-chafing cream.

Ride Often—Very Often

When I first borrowed my buddy's bike, the first thing he instructed me to do was to start riding around the neighborhood. Honestly, so many new mountain bikers are folks who haven't done too much in the way of physical activity for a while, and I was no exception. He knew that simply riding a couple of miles on the streets near my house would do me in, so there was no way I was ready for even the easiest local trail. I rode the neighborhood streets for about three months, extending my distance a little more each week until I could consistently log about 10 miles without feeling like I was going to fall over.

The next step was to hit some local gravel trails and roads to get an off-road-like feeling without worrying about technical features. Eventually I felt ready to hit a trail and attended the beginner clinic. Soon after, I was going trail riding as often as I could manage. My "home" trails became the Corinth and Frisco trails, both of which are somewhat beginner-friendly. From there, I accepted every invitation and opportunity that fit within my schedule to ride my bike with others, even when I felt completely out of my depth—which is very important.

Here's the deal, if you ride only simple trails and nothing but simple trails, you're not going to progress very far as a rider. Sure, you can gain and hone basic skills on those simple trails, and you may even become more physically fit as you ride, but that's as far as you'll go. Some riders are content with this. I've learned that there is a sort of sub-culture in the DFW MTB scene that is perfectly content to never ride any trail other than River Legacy—not including EKG/AED or Funtown. That's cool. They enjoy their rides and it's all they want to do.

That's not me, and it's probably not you either. Listen, I'm not saying that my ultimate goal as a rider is to be able to rip down the mountain at Redbull Rampage, or even something "easier" like the slopestyle course at Rotorua. Ultimately I'd like to be a skilled and fit enough cyclist to make regular trips to Northwest Arkansas and eventually complete the Whole Enchilada. I'll never get there by not challenging myself, which means pushing my skills incrementally over time.

The more you ride—and the more variety of trails you ride—the more skills and fitness you earn. And that's the key—you've got to earn it—and the only way to earn it is with more and more saddle time. The more you ride the faster you'll gain confidence in yourself and learn to trust your bike. You'll get better at properly shifting gears. You'll take your riding to the next level and beyond.

But a quick word of warning. You will eventually hit the wall and have a ride so bad that you'll seriously consider giving up and selling your bike. You'll have a serious crash and get hurt badly enough you'll be shaken to your core and need to rebuild your confidence. In fact, the crash might be so bad that you're unable to ride for a while, so it might be difficult to psych yourself back up for a ride when you're feeling better. Push through those down times and get back out there. You'll be glad you did.

Just keep riding.

Learn Trail Etiquette

Anyone who has read my articles for any length of time knows I harp on trail etiquette—a lot. There's a reason why—a lot of reasons. I won't go into all of them here, but suffice it to say that we're extremely blessed to have hundreds of miles of trails in North Texas, and we should do everything we can to preserve those trails.

What do I mean? Some of our trails are on public lands managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and local counties or municipalities. These governmental entities have graciously allowed access to these lands with the provision that the land will be cared for appropriately and adequately. That means we have a responsibility to care for the trail and the surrounding land as best we can. Not only does our care help maintain and sustain the trails, but it shows the land managers that we are people who will act responsibly like rational, thinking adults.

This means not riding wet or closed trails, and learning how to otherwise properly care for the trail as we're applying rubber to dirt. This also means going above and beyond when we're able and volunteering for clean up and trail work days. The local clubs and stewards can't maintain miles and miles of trail on their own—it takes large groups working together on a regular basis.

In addition, learn how to be an ambassador to the sport. Treat one another well and help fellow riders in need. Understand who has the right of way on the trails. Know the rules of the trail such as proper direction of travel and whether or not trail dogs or e-bikes are allowed. In essence, don't be a selfish jerk.

Embrace Your Fears

Related to pushing your skills and fitness as mentioned above, let's acknowledge the fact that you're going to get scared out on the trail at some point in the future. Every rider has certain technical features with which they struggle and you're no exception. Just remember there's no shame in walking—remember, the more you go out and ride the better you'll get.

Don't look at fear as a particularly negative experience. Fear is your survival instincts kicking in, which will lend you a certain level of prudence. Fear will keep you from attempting technical features such as jumps and drops that are too far outside your skills and comfort level. Again, this is why it's a great idea to ride with friends and other experienced riders. Their presence will give you added confidence as well as show you how to approach those technical features.

The problem is when you let fear choke you to the point that you're unwilling to push yourself. Don't ever ride your bike with the intent of avoiding a crash. You will crash, so embrace that fact and move forward. Worrying about crashing will make you ride timidly which will in turn increase the likelihood of a crash occurring. Ride for any amount of time and you'll quickly learn that speed is often your friend. Many technical obstacles are easier to ride when attacked and approached with speed. Yes, you need to learn how to properly handle your bike, but once you do you'll find that rocks and roots almost seems to melt away at speed—your bike seems to float over the gnar.

Start small with technical features that are just outside your comfort zone and work your way up to larger features. Ride trails that are beyond your current skill set, even if you end up walking large segments of the trail. You'll find that the next time you see an obstacle that was just beyond your comfort and skill that it appears smaller—simply because you put your eyes on a larger, harder feature. Now, you'll be more willing to roll over that feature that gave you fits last time you saw it.

Enjoy the Ride

I said it in my last post, and I'll say it again. If you're not having fun out on your rides, then you're doing it wrong. Get out there and enjoy yourself, whatever that looks like for you. Some love riding fast. Some love riding the jankiest line possible. Some just enjoy getting out of the house for and hour or two and don't care about speed, difficulty, or anything else.

All of those are great options. Just go out and ride!

One of the first frustrations newbie mountain bikers experience is figuring out how and when to shift gears on the trail. Since changing gears is an area of mountain biking that is better learned visually, we've decided to gather some of the best videos around on the subject rather than write a lengthy post. We'll delve into how gears work in a later post, but for now, let's focus on how to properly use them out on the trail.

How to Shift When Mountain Biking

Most of you are going to grab an entry-level bike when first starting to ride, which means you'll likely end up with a 2x or 3x chainring setup—meaning your bike has either two or three gears up front at the pedals. Though a bit dated, this video featuring Pancho Herrera does a great job of explaining how to choose the right gear for the terrain, and how to keep shifting smoothly as the terrain changes beneath you.

How to Shift Gears Better on a Mountain Bike

Though the next video is a bit rapid-fire, the next video by one of our favorite MTB YouTubers, Chris Carter, goes more in-depth on how to choose the right gear to suit the terrain. FYI, not all 22 tips are available in the video.

Cycling Training—Gear Changing for Cycling Training

This last video is more geared toward road cycling but gives a very clear explanation of why and how to avoid cross chaining.

What are your tips for managing gears out on the trail? Let us know in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

If you've just begun your journey as a mountain biker, you've probably already discovered there's a lot of skills you'll need to learn and hone in order to really get comfortable on your bike and shred the trails. Don't worry, simply getting out there and riding as often as you can will help you gain confidence, learn to stay loose on your bike, build endurance, and naturally build some of these skills.

Having said that, itis possible to pick up bad habits. Plus, wouldn't you like a list of skills you should focus on during your rides? Have no fear, we've compiled a starter list for you below!

Balance

Just like when first learning to ride on two wheels, you understand that balance is the first and most crucial element to staying upright and maintaining control of your bike. You learned quickly that momentum is your friend when it comes to keeping your balance, and while that remains somewhat true on a mountain bike, you also need to learn how to keep your balance at low speeds and even when completely stopped.

First, let's look at balance. Rather than bore you with a lot of explanation, we feel it's better if you have visual explanations by skilled riders. So, it's time for a slew of YouTube links. Grab your popcorn, relax, and bookmark these vids for future reference as you begin working on these crucial skills.

Track Stands

As mentioned above, learning how to maintain balance on your bike at a near or complete standstill is a vital skill to learn. Though mentioned in the Skills with Phil video above, here's a bit more of an in-depth look from GMBN.

Body Position

Learning how your body should be positioned in relation to your mountain bike can be one of the most confusing things to learn at first. Trust us, once you get the hang of it, not only will it feel natural but it will also unlock a completely higher level of ability and confidence. First is learning what's called Attack Position, sometimes known as Ready Position. Once you've got the basics of that down, you'll feel more comfortable moving around your bike and letting it do the work while your body acts as a shock absorber.

Braking

Learning how to brake correctly and responsively is yet another crucial skill. You'll soon learn—to your surprise—that you make be using your brakes way too much in some situations and not enough in others. Braking isn't all about pulling the levers to slow down. Good braking also allows you to control your cornering better, stay under control in loose conditions, and eventually ride faster and more confidently.

Cornering

Now, you may not be into racing if you're still a novice, but chances are you've seen a race or two on YouTube or RedBullTV and wondered, "How do they corner so fast?" There's a saying that "races are won in the corners," and it's pretty true. Watch almost any MTB race and you'll often see the difference between first and second place is how well the riders were able to negotiate one or two particular corners on the course.

As a beginner rider, you're likely riding trails that are fairly tame with wide, flat corners that are hard packed. As you begin to progress and ride harder trails, one of the first changes you'll come across is corners that are narrower, a bit loose, have shaper turn angles, and may or may not have a berm. Each of these types of corners must be approached a different way.

Unweighting

Unweighting your front wheel is an incredibly useful skill. It's so crucial that it's one of the first things taught at DORBA's beginner clinics. Why? Because even on beginner trails you're likely to encounter roots and rocks that are unavoidable—and you certainly will as you begin to venture onto more difficult trails. Don't try to just muscle your way over these obstacles (you can, especially if they're small) but rather use some finesse and control by learning to unweight your front wheel.

Learning this skill is also the first step towards more advanced skills like manuals and bunny hops, but that's an article for another day.

Roll Downs

Once you've got attack position figured out, the ability to roll down longer and steeper angles becomes possible. A roll down is simply riding down a somewhat steep to very steep angle where neither wheel loses contact with the ground. Keeping yourself from going over the bars or otherwise loosing control of your bike as the steepness and length increases is a combination of body position and proper braking.

Climbing

Out on the trail you're going to encounter all sorts of climbs, from short to long, gentle to steep, punchy to grinding, smooth to gnarly, and more. As you might imagine, there's different techniques needed to climb all these different types of ascents. Don't worry about learning them all yet, just get a feel for body position and gearing as you begin encountering climbs on the trail.

Descending

While similar to roll downs, descents are must longer, and not always as protractedly steep—think downhill. Just like with roll downs, keeping proper body position and learning how to feather your brakes (front and back) properly is a must when heading downhill.

Put all the above skills together and you'll be well on your way toward being able to start tackling technical trail features on Intermediate-level trails.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

One of the best resources to spring up in recent times for mountain bikers is YouTube. The problem is there's so much content available it can be hard to sift through it all. Below, you'll find our top choices for YouTube Channels novice MTBers should check out.

Skills with Phil

First up is former professional downhiller Phil Kmetz, who is one of the most skillful and fearless riders on YouTube. The great thing about Phil is that he has a knack for breaking down complex skills and demonstrating how they can be approached by a novice. He's friendly, a bit quirky, and knows what he's talking about. We suggest you begin with his Beginner Mountain Bike Tutorials playlist.

Seth's Bike Hacks

If you've been mountain biking for almost any amount of time, and have searched YouTube for MTB-related videos, it's almost certain you've come across Seth's Bike Hacks. Seth has built what is probably the largest MTB-related channel online, and he's successful for good reason—his videos are well-made, informative, and reflect everything fun about mountain biking. We suggest you start out with Seth's Techniques & Skills playlist where you'll find everything from simple skills like how to mount your bike to highly-advanced skills like backflips.

Huntstyle

While Huntstyle's channel doesn't focus on skills so much as simply relaying his adventures, we love his channel because he's local to the Dallas area, and because he hasn't been mountain biking all that long. Huntstyle started riding MTB in February of 2017, and if you watch his videos in order you can see him progress step-by-step, which makes him a great example to follow. He's got several videos that highlight North Texas trails (we use several of them on our trail listings), as well as videos of his adventures around the country.

Dusty Betty

We love Dusty Betty for several reasons. She and her husband travel full-time, living out of their RV and traveling from one mountain biking destination to another. Tess, the woman in front of the camera at Dusty Betty, is encouraging and doesn't put up a front. If she's struggling with her bike or skills she open with her frustrations and explains what she did or didn't do right to overcome her struggles. She's also passionate about getting more women riding and women riding more often. Her channel is a great example of how to approach mountain biking for the sheer joy of riding without caring what other people think or getting too wrapped up in the latest hype.

Simon Lawton: Fluidride and NBS Bikes

Last on the list, though certainly not the last great channel you can find on YouTube, is instruction from Simon Lawton. Simon is the founder of Fluidride, based in Seattle, WA, where he offers mountain bike classes. We have two recommendations for finding great instruction from Simon. First is at the Newark Bike Shop channel's MTB Riding 101 playlist. Simon has since moved on to start his own YouTube channel that is regularly updated at Fluidride Cycling Instruction.

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That's our Top 5 picks for MTB-related YouTube channels for beginners. We'll probably share another 5 channels or so in the near future since there's so much good stuff out there.

What are your favorite YouTube mountain biking channels? It doesn't matter if they're beginner-friendly or not, just let us know what you enjoy. We'd love to hear from you, so let us know in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

Dusty Betty, How Long Did It Take to Get Back on the Bike After Having Her Baby

Source: https://ntxtrails.com/category/mtb_skills/

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